Knitting needle



June 23, 1936. J. H. Gl QAHAM 2,045,267

KNITTING NEEDLE Filed Jan. 12, 1954 F INVENTOR 7' James HG'vaham AZTTORNEY Patented June 23, 1936 UNITE T S PATENT- OFFICE $045.26? y m'rmc NEEDLE.

H. Graham, Torrlngton, Conn, Application January 12, 1934, semi No. 766330 z (mug-'11! 1 I.

- This invention relates to duplex-hand knitting needles, and more particularly to anelongated needle" having two enlarged cylindrical knitting; points. connected together by a flexible central strand of smaller diameter.

One object of" this invention is to provide a knitting needle of the above nature in which the reduced central strand is formed from two-sec tions welded-together at the center.. i: r

- A further object is to .'.provide a duplex":.nee--v die of the above .nature in which-eachenlafied knitting point'is connected to the reduced central strand by a stepped intermediate ,take-oflksection to facilitate the sliding of the work over the take-oil section.

A further object is to provide a knitting needle in which. the tip of the cylindrical-point is I stepped to avoid the dropping of stitcheafrom.

the articlebeing knitted. A further object is to provide a duplex-.knit,-

ting needle of;the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efllcient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view there have been illustrated on the accompanyin drawing several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of the first form of duplex knitting needle as it appears when in position for use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the same as it appears before the excess metal at the central butt-welded joint has been removed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of needle showing a triple stepped section between the enlarged point and the reduced connecting strand, and also a stepped tip on the end of the point.

Fig. 4 is a side view of a modified form of the invention, in which a lap-welded joint is used for connecting the central ends of the flexible strand.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 6 is a view of a further modified form of the invention as applied to an ordinary straight knitting needle.

Fig. 7 is a side view of a still further modified form of the invention in which a scarf-welded joint is used at the center of the flexible strand.

This application is a continuation in part of a eopending application by the same inventor bearing the Serial No. 671,123, flied May 15,1933;

Referring now to, the drawing in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals ll and l-l indicate respectively a. pair of relatively 5- 7 large stifl' knitting points which are substantially cylindrical in shape and have their outer end II-and l3 conically tapered as shown. 1 The inner. end of each;,-.-cylindrical knitting point ll andwl l-is provided with a reduced 0y.- 10 lindrical section l4, l5, which is integrally joined to said :point III, II, by ashort frusto-conical section l6, l1, located therebetween. 2 The inner end of the reduced section It, IS, in turn,-is connected by a rounded shoulder Ma, 15' lSa, to a still further reduced section It, It. The sections l8 and [9 when joined together constitute a flexible connectingcentral strand 20 of the complete duplex knitting needle.

In the manufacture of the knitting needle, 20 it is preferable tostart with wire of the diameter of the cylindrical points), II, and to. produce the several steps by successive reductions by turning, forming, or swaging with suitable rolls or dies. A pair of the needle sections thus formed 25 may then be united by connecting the inner ends of the flexible strands l8 and is permanently together to form a single unit, by welding. As shown in Fig. 2, prior to the welding operation, the ends of the strands l8 and I! are preferably 30 swaged or otherwise formed to produce enlarged heads 2| and Ma which may then be abutted and welded in the usual manner to form a buttwelded joint. The excess metal of the heads II and Ila may later be removed by grinding and 35 polishing to produce a smooth flush joint 22, as shown in Fig. 1. It will be understood, however, that the welding of the joint 22 may be accomplished without the use of a head, within the spirit and scope of the invention. 40

.Jf desired, each of the reduced sections l4 and It may be slightly bent at intermediate positions, as indicated by the numerals 23 and 24 in Figs. 1 and 2, at a small angle to facilitate the knitting process. 45

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, a cylindrical needle point 25 is shown connected to a flexible connecting strand 26 01 smaller diameter by means of two progressively reduced sections 21 and 28 respectively, 50 to produce three steps, instead of two steps, as in the first form of the invention.

The smaller section 28 is bent at an angle in a similar manner to the angular sections 23, 24. In order to prevent accidental dropping of stitches from the needle point, the tip of the needle point II is provided with a stepped reduced section 33 preferably connected to the cylindrical point 23 by airusto-conical portion 3i.

one advantage connecting the needle points to the flexible central strand by one or more progressively reduced sections is that it permits the work to slide more easily on and oi! oi the points when knitting-oi!" from one needle point to the other, and also when removing the completed knitted article from the duplex needle.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is showna modified form of welded joint for connecting the inner ends of the flexible strand sections is and I! to produce a duplex needle, the joint being accomplished by "lap" welding. The inner ends of the strands I I and I3 are each provided with substantially semicylindrical extremities 32 and 33 having shoulders 34 and 35, said extremities 32 and 33 being adapted to be interfitted before the welding operation. The height of the semi-cylindrical section 33, 33 is preferably slightly greater than half the diameter of the respective strands i3 and I, so that when the ends 32 and 33 are interfitted, said strands I3 and I! will be out of axial alinement, but will be forced into alinement during the welding operation by the opposed pressure of the dies, as shown by the dotted lines, in Fig.

1 4. After the'welding has taken place any fln or irregularities formed by the welding operation may be removed by grinding and polishing to produce a smooth joint between the two strands, as indicated by the dotted lines.

In Fig. 6 the invention is shown embodied in a "straight knitting needle. A cylindrical knitting point 36 is connected by a double stepped portion 31 to the reduced needle shank 33, the

latter being provided with the usual form 01' end head 39 which serves as a handle and also to prevent the work from slipping 01!.

In Fig. 7 is illustrated a further modified form of welded joint wherein the inner ends of the strands l3 and I! are cut on an angle to produce a pair of elliptical faces II and I which may be abutted and welded in the usual manner to produce a scar! welded Joint.

While there have been disclosed in this specification'several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

1. In a knitting needle, a body member having a cylindrical working section, a sharpened conical tip and an intermediate cylindrical section oi. smaller diameter than said working section, said intermediate section having the same diameter as the base of said tip and being joined to said working section by a tapered irusto-conical section.

2. In a knitting needle. 9. central flexible cylindrical section, a pair of cylindrical working sections of larger diameter than said central section, and a pair of pointed tips having cylindrical sections of smaller diameter than said working sections. the cylindrical portions oi! said tips serving to prevent accidental dropping 01 stitches from the needle.

3. In a knitting needle, a flexible cylindrical section, an enlarged cylindrical working section having a cylindrical tip of smaller diameter than said working section, said tip having a pointed extremity, the cylindrical portion of said tip serving to prevent accidental dropping oi stitches from the needle.

JAMES H. GRAHAM. 

